Inked embossment marking device



May 27, 1969 M. s. GARDINER 3,446,141

INKED EMBOSSMENT MARKING DEVICE Filed Aug. 25, 1967 y, 22 idf 24/ 34 38 (24 L Z/p 44/ \Z4 i F1 g 5 Murrag Sordmer INVENTOR Hifi-ys.

United States Patent O 3,446,141 INKED EMBOSSMENT MARKING DEVICE Murray S. Gardiner, P.O. Box 93, Medford, Oreg. 97501 Filed Aug. 25, 1967, Ser. No. 663,376 Int. Cl. B441) /.00; B411' 27/00; B41k 1/42 U.S. Cl. 101-18 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A hand-operable marking device for embossing and inking characters on a sheet such as a check. The device includes a pair of spaced, relatively movable members which may be pressed together, with one of the members carrying inking apparatus to produce inking of the sheet including an ink pad and an ink supply for the pad which feeds ink to the pad, and the other member carrying adjustable elements having raised characters to produce embossing of the sheet. The member with the ink pad also includes skirt portions surrounding the ink pad and projecting toward the other member which engage the other member on movement of the two together to limit the degree of embossing and inking produced.

This invention relates to a marking device for embossing and simultaneously inking characters on a sheet. More particularly, it concerns such a device which includes opposed press members, with one of the members having an ink pad which can be pressed against one side of the sheet and ink supply means for supplying ink to the pad, and the other member having raised embossing characters which rmay be pressed against the opposite side of the sheet. The marking device contemplated by the invention is useful in situations such as the protecting of a check, where it is often desired to both emboss and ink the sum for which the check is drawn to prevent alteration of the check.

A general object of the invention is to provide a novel marking device for producing both inking and embossing of a sheet.

Another object is to provide such a marking device which is simply operated.

A further object is to provide a marking device which embosses and simultaneously inks characters on a sheet in a one-step operation.

A related object is to provide in such a marking device, a press member having an ink pad which may be pressed against one surface of the sheet in combination with novel means for supplying ink to the ink pad.

According to one embodiment of the invention, a chamber is defined within one press member which is adapted to receive an ink-lled cartridge, and channels provided in the press member to accommodate the flow of ink from the chamber to the ink pad.

A related object is to provide in such a marking device novel rupturing means adapted to rupture such an inkilled cartridge to release ink from the cartridge into the chamber.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a marking device as contemplated, including a hand-held frame, upper and lower press members connected to the frame, and an actuator handle for moving the upper press member toward the lower press member;

FIG. 2 is a view taken along the line 2 2 in FIG. l, illustrating the upper surface of the lower press member;

FIG. 3 is a view taken along the line 3-3 in FIG. 1,

3,446,141 Patented May 27, 1969 illustrating the underside of the lower press member;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the upper press member removed from the marking device with portions broken away better to illustrate the internal construction; and

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional View taken along the line 5-5 in FIG. 4.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. 1, at 10 is indicated generally a marking device constructed according to an embodiment of the invention. In broad terms the marking device comprises a frame 12, an upper press member 14 movably mounted on the frame, another, or lower, stationary press member 16 mounted on the frame spaced from and opposing press member 14, and an actuator handle 20.

Frame 12 is constructed of a single plate member which has been cut and folded over to form a pair of opposed spaced-apart side portions, 12a, 12b of the shape indicated in FIG. 1, and a bottom portion 12e which interconnects the side portions. The side portions provide a 'butt section 12d at the left of FIG. l which is easily cradled in the hand, and are bifurcated at the right of FIG. 1 to provide an upper support section 12e and a lower support section 12f.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 4 and 5, upper press member 14 includes an elongated, relatively narrow, rigid body 22. As is best seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, skirt portions or abutments 24 project downwardly from the perimeter of a main portion of the body to define a downwardly facing recess bounded between the skirt portions by oor 26. A bore 28 extends through body 22 to provide an inkreceiving chamber. As is best seen in FIG. 4 a pointed projection 32 extends into the cham'ber at the left end of the bore. A series of channels 34 extending through floor 26 connect bore 28 and the recess defined Within skirt positions 24.

A substantially rectangular inking pad 38 of pliable, permeable material is mounted within the recess dened by skirt portions 24. The lower, or exposed face of the inking pad forms one face of the upper press member and is adapted to be pressed into contact with the lower press member. Since skirt portions 24 are all positioned laterally outwardly of the exposed face of the pad a substantially continuous and unbroken expanse is presented by the face. The opposite, or inwardly facing, face of the inking pad is backed up by floor 26 of the body, to provide resistance in the pad when pressed against the lower press member.

An ink-lled cartridge 42 is received within bore 28. The ink-filled cartridge is constructed of plastic, rubber, or other suitable material which may be easily punctured to allow ink to flow from the cartridge into the chamber.

A threaded plug 44 is screwed into threaded end 46 of bore 28 thus to close off the right end of the chamber in FIG. 4. As is best seen in FIG. 4, plug 44 includes a pointed projection 48 which is similar to projection 32 extending into the chamber at the opposite end of bore 28. With the ink-tilled cartridge received within the chamber as illustrated in FIG. 4, projections 32, 48, act as rupturing means which, on screwing the plug into threaded end 46, rupture the ends of the ink-filled cartridge. In FIG. 4 the plug has not been screwed fully into the threaded end of the bore and cartridge 42 is illustrated as it would appear prior to being ruptured. On rupturing of the ink-filled cartridge, ink ows into the chamber and then through channels 34 to the inking pad. On reaching the inking pad the ink permeates the pad to provide ink over the entire exposed face of the pad.

Actuator handle 20 is pivotally mounted on the frame by pivot 50. Mounted adjacent the base of the actuator handle and spaced a short distance from pivot `50 is a rotatable cylinder 52. A post 54 joined to the top of press member 14 is disclosed with cylinder `52 on the handle cradled within a semi-cylindrical groove 56 formed on the top of post 54. Thus when the handle is swung in a counterclockwise direction in FIG. 1, cylinder 52 swings downwardly to urge the post and press member downwardly toward press member 16.

The lower press member comprises a rectangular plate or mounting member 62 which when viewing the top face thereof has the outline illustrated in FIG. 2. The plate member which may have its left margin in FIG. 1 joined to lower support section 12] of the frame, also has a bar 64 joined to it which extends outwardly to the left in FIG. 1 between the side portions of the frame. Suitably joined to the left end of this bar in FIG. l is a leaf spring 66 which has its opposite end suitably attached to upper press member 14. This leaf spring exerts a bias on the upper press member, urging it upwardly to a position spaced from the lower press member.

The dotted and dashed lines 65 in FIG. 2 illustrate generally the region on the lower press member which skirt portions 24 of the upper press member come into contact with when the two press members are moved against each other into a marking position. The line, therefore, illustrates the boundaries of a printing zone defined on the lower press member. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, where the marking device is intended to be employed as a check protector, a series of raised embossing characters 67 which are distributed within the region bounded by lines 65 spell out the phrase The sum of Dlrs. cts.

As is best seen in FIGS. l and 2, a pair of parallel elongated grooves 68, -69 are defined in the upper surface of plate member 62. Four elongated slots 70 extend from the base of groove 69 to the 'bottom surface of the plate member, and two slots 71 extend from the base of groove 68 to the bottom surface of the plate member. The slots are parallel to each other, and each slot, when viewed from the underside of plate member 62 (as seen in FIG. 3) includes a series of notches 72, spaced along the length of the slots.

A plurality of elongated, relatively movable slide or printing members 74 are received within grooves 68, 69 (four within groove 69 and two Within groove 68). As is best seen in FIG. 1, the upper surface of each of slide members 74 is substantially flush with the upper surface of plate member 62. Each slide member 74 has a series of raised characters (numbers) 76 formed thereon. The upper surfaces of these characters and the upper surfaces of raised characters 67 lie in a common plane. The slide members are slidable within grooves 68, 69 to permit different combinations of characters 76 to be positioned within the area bounded by lines 65.

Each of the slide members is provided with an adjuster pin 82 which extends downwardly from the slide bar through one of slots 70 or 71. These adjuster pins, which may terminate in enlarged rounded ends as shown, are provided to aid in the positioning of the different slide members to different positions within the grooves receiving them. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, each adjuster pin is connected through a spring biasing means (not shown) to the slide member associated With the pin enabling the same to be retracted slightly, with the pin then being freely movable along a slot between the various notches which are distributed along the length of the slot. With the pin released and in a position registering with a notch, this biasing means retracts the pin causing it to till the notch and lock the slide member in place. As an alternative construction the pin for a slide member may be swiveled on the base of the slide member to permit side-to-side swinging of the pin with positioning of the pin within a particular notch serving to inally position the slide member. As another alternative the notches may be dispensed with and the particular slide members positioned by observing the top of the lower press member 4 and what characters are moved within the region bounded by lines 65.

As is seen in FIG. 3, characters (numerals) 96, are printed on the underside of plate member 62. These characters are coordinated with adjuster pins 82 in such a manner as to indicated, when a pin is moved directly across from a character 96, the raised character 76 on the opposite side of a slide member which is positioned within the area indicated by lines 65 in FIG. 2. Viewing FIGS. 2 and 3 together, it will be seen that with the sum of $64.55 indicated on the underside of plate member 62, that same sum is presented within the bounds of phantom lines 65'.

Briefly describing the operation of the marking device, an ink-tilled cartridge is inserted into the chamber in the upper press member and the plug is screwed into the one end thus to enclose the chamber and puncture the ends of the cartridge allowing ink to flow to and permeate the inking pad. The desired raised characters on the slide members are moved into the area against which the upper press member may be pressed. A sheet, such as a check, to be acted upon by the marking device, is inserted into the space between the upper and lower pressmembers. With section 12d ofthe frame and the actuator handle gripped within one hand, the handle is pressed toward section y12d to move the upper press member toward the lower press member. On movement of the upper press member toward the lower press member, the sheet deforms over raised characters 67, 76 to emboss the iigures of these characters on the sheet and the inking pad is pressed against the sheet to ink lthe form of such embossed characters thereon.

It will be recalled that the ink pad is pliable. If its travel toward the lower member were not limited, its exposed face could eventually engulf the embossed characters on the sheet and ink not only the characters, but also the space between and surrounding the characters. To prevent this, the skirt portions surrounding the ink pad project downwardly below the exposed face of the pad and act as limit means which contact the base surface of the lower press member before the ink pad can be pressed too closely to the base surface.

It will be noted that in the invention the pad not only functions as a medium for applying ink to the surface of the sheet where the embossment occurs, but also as a means for backing up or supporting the sheet to enable the embossment to take place. A pad therefore is employed which has a relatively stiff consistency and which is indentable to the extent necessary to move inwardly from the general face of the pad enough to produce embossment. The pad, furthermore, is permeable to accommodate the migration of ink from the ink cartidge and the chamber which lodges it, through the pad to the exposed face which contacts the sheet being embossed and printed.

While an embodiment of the invention has been described herein, it is appreciated that variations and modiiications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Accordingly it is desired to cover all such variations and modifications which would be apparent to those skilled in the art and that come within the scope of the appended claims.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A marking device for embossing and inking characters on a sheet comprising a pair of spaced-apart opposed press members adapted to have a sheet placed therebetween, one of said press members including an inking pad with an exposed face, the other of said press members including a mounting member and a printing member movably mounted on said mounting member, said printing member having multiple raised characters distributed in a row thereon, said printing member being movably mounted on the mounting member to permit adjustment thereof and by such adjusting placing a selected portion only of said row of characters within a print zone defined on the other press member, and means mounting said press members accommodating their movement toward each other into a marking position where said print zone is directly opposite and registering with said pad with said exposed face of said pad supporting one side of a sheet placed between the press members and only -that portion of said row of characters which is Within said print zone bearing against the opposite side of the sheet where such is supported by said exposed face of said pad.

2. The marking device of claim 1, wherein the raised characters presented by said other press member project outwardly from a tlat base surface, and which further comprises abutment means on one of said press members which, with said members moved into their said marking position, limits the movement of said press members toward one another to prevent the pad from pressing against portions of said base surface between said characters.

3. The marking device of claim 2, wherein said pad extends in a plane and said abutment means comprises a skirt which is secured to said one press member and which projects outwardly toward the other press member from said plane, with said skirt being positioned laterally outwardly of the exposed face of the pad which registers with the print zone.

4. The marking device of claim 1, wherein said pad is made of a pliable and permeable material, and said one member further comprises means for supplying ink to said pad including a reservoir.

5. The marking device of claim 4, wherein said pad has an opposite face facing inwardly on the one press member, and the one press member includes a stiff backing for said opposite face, including channels for directing ink from the reservoir to the pad.

6. The marking device of claim 5 wherein said reser- Voir is a removable ink-filled cartridge, and said one press member has a chamber receiving said reservoir, and rupturing means operable to rupture such cartridge to allow ink to ow therefrom to said pad.

7. The marking device of claim 6, where the one press member has a removable plug which is removed to open up said chamber to permit replacement of said cartridge.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 971,601 10/1910 George 101-103 1,250,994 `12/1917 Eastman 101-3 1,263,094 4/1918 Millea lOl-333 1,411,892 4/1922 Sonne et al 101-3 1,782,877 11/1930 `Madden 101-125 2,040,940 5/1936 Johnson et al lOl-333 3,104,988 9/ 1963 Pasinski 118-268 3,154,010 10/1964 Rudy 101-3 3,172,356 3/1965 Vosburg lOl-125 3,277,819 10/1966 Berkland 101-125 3,326,180 6/ 1967 Lofgren 118-264 3,370,532 2/1968 Falk 101-20 WILLIAM B. PENN, Primary Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R.

lOl- 98, 103, 333; 117-12; 118-267 

